Understanding Solar Power
Mike Walden
September 18, 2009
What exactly is solar power and how does this work?
This is the time when alternative is going mainstream. At least, in the energy field. Let me explain. The rapid decrement in the planet´s reserve of natural resources and fossil fuels, due to man´s reckless behavior and rising needs for more and more energy, is endangering the earth´s future. The ecological and environmental impact could be eventually disastrous. But mankind needs various forms of energy in order to survive. Heat and light are among the most fundamental ones of these. It is not surprising, therefore, that much of our finances are spent towards ensuring the regular supply of these. This concern has necessitated the search for alternative means of producing energy. The need of the hour is to produce abundant quantity of ´green´, renewable and low-cost energy in order to stop putting excessive strain on or natural resources. The time to discover the power of solar power is now. Let´s delve deeper.
How can solar power help us?
The sun is the actual source of much of the power that is generated by man. Solar power is full of potential and has many benefits, some obvious and a few others that are not so apparent. In fact, the sun has always been benefiting mankind in many ways from time immemorial and is continuing to do so even now. No other source of power save solar energy offers so much goodness without causing any harm to us or the environment. Modern science has given us many sophisticated means of capturing solar energy for use in various applications. Devices like photovoltaic cells are implemented for converting solar power into electricity. Other modern equipment that are powered by the sun include solar chimney, solar cells, solar water heaters, solar thermal devices and so on. All these devices use solar radiation for their operation and offer unmatched economy and convenience. However, the actual performance of these applications may vary greatly depending on surrounding factors.
Broadly speaking, solar technology can be categorized into two main types - active and passive. This classification is based on the way solar radiation is captured, and converted into the desired form of energy and distributed. The various solar devices mentioned above fall under the active solar technology category as they involve the direct conversion of solar radiation into the required form of energy. Passive solar technologies on the other hand, cover all those materials that have favorable thermal properties and involve designing buildings and spaces with prime and proper air circulation and ample exposure to sunlight. Be it active or passive, both the forms of solar technologies serve the purpose of increasing solar power conservation. Active solar technologies encourage the production of solar energy while passive solar technologies lessen our dependence on non-solar power. No other means of generating power save solar power helps us so much in preserving and protecting our environment. This is achieved by virtue of the clean and ´green´ nature of solar energy.
The applications of solar power
Solar power is used in a most diverse range of applications and is widely endorsed due to its intrinsically beneficial nature. The list starts with the contribution of solar energy in architecture and urban planning that emphasize features like orientating buildings towards the sun, adopting selective shading, compacting proportion and so on. All these factors, when carefully matched with the corresponding climate and environment of a particular area, can lead to the development of well-lit spaces with a very comfortable temperature range that is naturally achieved.
The list of solar applications continues with its use in agriculture. The power of the sun has along been used by farmers everywhere to optimize and improve the productivity of crops. Techniques like fruit walls and sloping walls have been practiced to enhance solar energy collection and improve crop yields. Other applications of solar power in agriculture include powering water pumps, drying crops, and more. Greenhouse is another technology applied for the specialty crops that are not really suited to the local climatic conditions and require year-round heat to reap well. Yet another significant role of solar power is in the domestic field including technologies like daylighting, solar thermals, water-heaters and cooking. Photovoltaic cells and solar panels are implemented to convert sunlight into electricity. The list thus goes on with numerous applications of solar energy in our daily lives as well as specialized fields like chemistry labs where sunlight is converted into chemical energy. Some rare chemical reactions require solar energy to be triggered. Such reactions can be broadly divided into thermo-chemical and photo-chemical reactions depending upon how solar energy is used in the process. Finally, there´s the big economical advantage of using solar energy which is probably the cheapest source of energy!
So are you ready to install a system in your home? Get a guide that shows you where to install it, how to set up the solar power system, where to get the parts and batteries from cheaply, how to wire the system and also the safety precautions. With this information you can do it quite easily and of course safely. Save power and cut your electricity bill with solar power. You can also earn some extra money by selling your surplus power and of course this is an eco-friendly alternative as well.
This article is based on the book, "Earth 4 Electricity- Renewable Energy Made Easy " by Jim Martin. Jim Martin is a researcher, inventor and home energy consultant who written dozens of home energy related articles and has been featured in ezines and print magazines, as well as on hundreds of websites worldwide.
To Learn More about Jim Martinīs Unique Step By Step Solar and Wind Power System Visit: Earth 4 Electricity.
For further information visit: Can Power Be Saved Using Solar Energy
This is the time when alternative is going mainstream. At least, in the energy field. Let me explain. The rapid decrement in the planet´s reserve of natural resources and fossil fuels, due to man´s reckless behavior and rising needs for more and more energy, is endangering the earth´s future. The ecological and environmental impact could be eventually disastrous. But mankind needs various forms of energy in order to survive. Heat and light are among the most fundamental ones of these. It is not surprising, therefore, that much of our finances are spent towards ensuring the regular supply of these. This concern has necessitated the search for alternative means of producing energy. The need of the hour is to produce abundant quantity of ´green´, renewable and low-cost energy in order to stop putting excessive strain on or natural resources. The time to discover the power of solar power is now. Let´s delve deeper.
How can solar power help us?
The sun is the actual source of much of the power that is generated by man. Solar power is full of potential and has many benefits, some obvious and a few others that are not so apparent. In fact, the sun has always been benefiting mankind in many ways from time immemorial and is continuing to do so even now. No other source of power save solar energy offers so much goodness without causing any harm to us or the environment. Modern science has given us many sophisticated means of capturing solar energy for use in various applications. Devices like photovoltaic cells are implemented for converting solar power into electricity. Other modern equipment that are powered by the sun include solar chimney, solar cells, solar water heaters, solar thermal devices and so on. All these devices use solar radiation for their operation and offer unmatched economy and convenience. However, the actual performance of these applications may vary greatly depending on surrounding factors.
Broadly speaking, solar technology can be categorized into two main types - active and passive. This classification is based on the way solar radiation is captured, and converted into the desired form of energy and distributed. The various solar devices mentioned above fall under the active solar technology category as they involve the direct conversion of solar radiation into the required form of energy. Passive solar technologies on the other hand, cover all those materials that have favorable thermal properties and involve designing buildings and spaces with prime and proper air circulation and ample exposure to sunlight. Be it active or passive, both the forms of solar technologies serve the purpose of increasing solar power conservation. Active solar technologies encourage the production of solar energy while passive solar technologies lessen our dependence on non-solar power. No other means of generating power save solar power helps us so much in preserving and protecting our environment. This is achieved by virtue of the clean and ´green´ nature of solar energy.
The applications of solar power
Solar power is used in a most diverse range of applications and is widely endorsed due to its intrinsically beneficial nature. The list starts with the contribution of solar energy in architecture and urban planning that emphasize features like orientating buildings towards the sun, adopting selective shading, compacting proportion and so on. All these factors, when carefully matched with the corresponding climate and environment of a particular area, can lead to the development of well-lit spaces with a very comfortable temperature range that is naturally achieved.
The list of solar applications continues with its use in agriculture. The power of the sun has along been used by farmers everywhere to optimize and improve the productivity of crops. Techniques like fruit walls and sloping walls have been practiced to enhance solar energy collection and improve crop yields. Other applications of solar power in agriculture include powering water pumps, drying crops, and more. Greenhouse is another technology applied for the specialty crops that are not really suited to the local climatic conditions and require year-round heat to reap well. Yet another significant role of solar power is in the domestic field including technologies like daylighting, solar thermals, water-heaters and cooking. Photovoltaic cells and solar panels are implemented to convert sunlight into electricity. The list thus goes on with numerous applications of solar energy in our daily lives as well as specialized fields like chemistry labs where sunlight is converted into chemical energy. Some rare chemical reactions require solar energy to be triggered. Such reactions can be broadly divided into thermo-chemical and photo-chemical reactions depending upon how solar energy is used in the process. Finally, there´s the big economical advantage of using solar energy which is probably the cheapest source of energy!
So are you ready to install a system in your home? Get a guide that shows you where to install it, how to set up the solar power system, where to get the parts and batteries from cheaply, how to wire the system and also the safety precautions. With this information you can do it quite easily and of course safely. Save power and cut your electricity bill with solar power. You can also earn some extra money by selling your surplus power and of course this is an eco-friendly alternative as well.
This article is based on the book, "Earth 4 Electricity- Renewable Energy Made Easy " by Jim Martin. Jim Martin is a researcher, inventor and home energy consultant who written dozens of home energy related articles and has been featured in ezines and print magazines, as well as on hundreds of websites worldwide.
To Learn More about Jim Martinīs Unique Step By Step Solar and Wind Power System Visit: Earth 4 Electricity.
For further information visit: Can Power Be Saved Using Solar Energy